A.M. Roundup: Pushback on tax return sharing

Good morning! Well, all the cool kids will be down in Manhattan today for a parade and City Hall ceremony honoring the WORLD CHAMPION New York Football Giants. Harumph, harumph. Here in Albany the weather won’t be quite as mild, and the slog of legislative work — including a budget hearing on environmental issues — will again rule the day. Here are today’s headlines…

Lawmakers said they were concerned it could prompt “fishing expeditions” since pulling a return would not need any sort of judicial review. (DN)

The Times Union: Feeling more than a little violated?//The Cuomo administration has apparently decided that’s an acceptable condition of work in state government. While we’re all for holding the people entrusted with honest use of our tax dollars to a high standard, this policy appears to be an overreach by government into people’s personal lives. Whether it’s even acting legally or not is something the people who write the law — namely, the Legislature — should look into immediately. (TU)

Jacob Gershman traces out how all of Albany’s ethics watchdogs have been sidelined by Gov. Andrew Cuomo: “Andrew’s political skills are again on display by the way he’s charmed or co-opted some of the best citizen groups, despite a record of real secrecy and coordination with big-money interests,” said Mark Green, the former New York City public advocate who ran unsuccessfully against Mr. Cuomo in 2006 for attorney general. (WSJ)

Bill Hammond: When it comes to cleaning up Albany’s fund-raising swamp, Gov. Cuomo’s lips say, “Reform, reform, reform.”//But his political operation continues exploiting the system with gusto — taking advantage of loopholes and end runs that he has repeatedly argued for shutting down.//The latest disconnect between his rhetoric and behavior concerns his use of corporate jets made available by wealthy contributors — some of whom have a direct financial stake in Cuomo’s actions as governor. (DN)

Mireya Navarro: A decision on the process, known as hydrofracking — its scope, its timing or whether it will happen at all — seems much more uncertain, and the approval process has slowed considerably despite almost four years of study, debate and intense lobbying on both sides of the issue.//Mr. Cuomo did not mention hydrofracking in his State of the State address last month, and did not provide money in his proposed budget for the 2013 fiscal year for regulating the new industry.//The governor’s office declined to answer questions Monday on the slowing of the approval calendar, but cited a statement by Mr. Cuomo in the fall of 2011 that a decision on hydrofracking should be based “on the facts and on the science.” (NYT)